Picket-wiring fence-machine



(No Model.)

B. F. MORTON. PIGKET WIRING FENCE MACHINE.

No. 452,613. Patented May 19,1891.

@ ikm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVIN F. MORTON, OF MANSFIELD, TENNESSEE.

PlCKET-WIRING FENCE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,613, dated May 19, 1891.

Application filed June 27, 1890. Serial No. 356,977, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN F. MORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Henry and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picket-\ViringFence- Machines,of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in making wire-and-picket fences; and it consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, and afterward pointed out in the claims. a

The object of myinvention is to provide a device with which a wire-and picket fence can be easily constructed, and which may be readily operated by one workman.

Another object is to provide a machine which is simple, cheap, and effective and may be easily transported from place to place and occupy but a small space after being packed. This object I attain by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, in whicht Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device in operative position,showinghalf of apanel of fence built. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of part of the weaver, the locking-plate being raised for the insertion of a wire. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical cross-section through the tension device. Fig. at is a similar view through the base and wire-holding standards. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective of a section of a fence, illustrating the position assumed by the twisted wire after the pickets are inserted.

In the drawings, A indicates a post having two supporting-wires B B secured thereto near the top and bottom, respectively, which may extend the length of several panels.

O indicates a stretcher having spools O O journaled therein, on which the wires B are coiled. The shafts of these spools terminate in a key angular in cross-section, on which a crank may be attached to rotate the spools and tighten the wires.

0 0 indicate ratchet-wheels secured on the shafts, with which pawls c c engage for holding the spools in a stationary position.

The side pieces of the stretcher are removably secured in a base D, having arms (Z extending from the rear thereof.

E represents stirrups pivoted to the ends of the base and arms,th rough which are passed pegs which are driven into the ground to rigidly hold the base in position.

E E represent tie-rods having hooks c on their ends to engage with eyes a and e on the arms of the base and sides of the stretcher, respectively, to add rigidity to the frame and act in the capacity of braces.

F represents a tension device removably secured to the wires l3, composed of two parallel bars F F, each having inclined grooves fthcrein near its upper and lower'ends, inclining in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 3,and in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Journaled in cross-pieces which connect the bars F are two wheels having a groove in their periphery, over which the binding-Wire G passes after passing through the .inclined openings located below the wheels.

ll indicates aweaver consisting of two disks 11, having central openings h therein.

71; indicates a channel, through which the supporting-wires B are passed and are locked inposition in the center of the disks by a countersunk locking-plate h, hinged'at 77, and having a turn-button 703 to lock it in its closed position, permitting the disks to be moved or slid on the wires without becoming detached from the same.

I indicates radial slots in the peripheries of the disks, in which are placed the bindingwires G.

J indicates two arms eccentrically pivoted at j to the disks H, directly opposite the slots 1, and rigidly connected at their outer ends by a bar J, having a handle J secured near its center.

The operation may be described as follows: The wires B are secured to the posts and drawn tight by the stretcher and the tension device and the weaver placed thereon in the panel to be built. The wires Gare then fastened to the post at the same point as the supporting-wires. The weaver is placed on the supporting wires by inserting the same through the channels and locking them in the centralopeningby means of thelocking-plates. The binding-wires G are inserted in the radial grooves in the periphery of the weaver-disks, and the device is 110w ready for operation. The first picket is placed on the opposite side of the supporting-wire and the binding-wire placed on the outside of the picket. The handle J is then depressed, carrying the bindingwire around the picket and supporting-wire, binding the same in place. The next picket is then placed on the same side of the supporting-wire, and the handle J being raised slightly, allows the binding-wire slack enough for the insertion by reason of its having its center on the supporting-wire, and the binding-wire, taking its movement from the pe riphery of the weaver, is forced below the supporting-wire'and around the picket, the tension device allowing the binding-wire to feed slowly by binding it. while passing through the oppositely-inclined openings and over the small wheels. The weaver may be brought close to the pickets, so that it will require but one workman to insert the pickets and depressand raise the handleJ alternatively and slide along the supporting-wire as the work progresses. \Vhen the first panel is finished, the locking-plates are raised and the weaver removed and placed on the panel next to be built.

I am aware that many minor changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts and substituted for those shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a fence-making machine, a weaver consisting of two disks having central openings, channels leading into the openings, and grooves in the periphery of the disks, and a handle having arms extending out from its ends at right angles thereto and secured to the disks at points directly opposite the grooves, substantially as described.

2. I11 a fence-making machine, a tension device consisting of parallel bars having oppositely inclined openings therein, crosspieces connecting the bars, grooved wheels in the cross-pieces, over which the bindingwires pass after passing through the 0penings, and means for suspending the device from the fence-wires, substantially as described.

3. In a fenccanaking machine, a weaver consisting of two circular disks connected by a bar having arms extended therefrom and eccentrically pivoted to the disks near their outer edges, said disks having a radial groove in their periphery opposite the pivotal point of connection with the arms of the connecting-loar, openings in their centers, having channels leading thereto, and locking-plates across said channels, substantially as described.

4. In a fenceunaking machine, a tension device consisting of side bars having oppositely-inclined openings therein, and grooved wheels between opposite openings and above the same, over which the binding-wires pass, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EDWIN F. MORTON.

it-messes:

L. IV. ALLEN, Gus. EDWARDS. 

